Hydrogen-Rich Saline Reduced Kidney Damage in Rats
Pretreatment with hydrogen-rich saline reduces the damage caused by glycerol-induced rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney injury in rats
This research was done in animals. Results in animals often don't carry over to people.
- Evidence type
- Animal study (rat)
- Authors
- Hongxia Gu, Min Yang, Xiaomin Zhao, Bing Zhao, Xuejun Sun, Xin Gao
- Journal
- Journal of Surgical Research
- Year
- 2014
- PMID
- 24495844
- Study Type
- Rat
- Participants
- 48
- Delivery
- Saline (Dissolved)
- Dose
- High dose: 10 mL/kg/day intraperitoneal for 7 days; Low dose: 5 mL/kg/day intraperitoneal for 7 days
- Duration
- 1 weeks
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 38 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- China
TL;DR
A special saline solution rich in hydrogen can protect rat kidneys from damage caused by a muscle injury-related condition.
Key Finding
Pretreatment with hydrogen-rich saline significantly reduced kidney damage, muscle breakdown markers, and signs of oxidative stress and inflammation in rats with glycerol-induced rhabdomyolysis, with higher doses providing greater protection.
Summary
Researchers tested whether hydrogen-rich saline (a salt solution containing dissolved hydrogen) could protect rats from kidney damage caused by a chemical called glycerol. They gave some rats hydrogen-rich saline for a week before exposing them to glycerol, while others received only glycerol. The rats that received hydrogen-rich saline beforehand had significantly less kidney damage, lower markers of muscle breakdown, and reduced signs of oxidative stress (cellular damage from unstable molecules) and inflammation compared to rats that only received glycerol.
Practical Takeaway
This rat study suggests hydrogen-rich saline may help prevent kidney damage from rhabdomyolysis by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation. However, this is early-stage animal research only—it does not yet demonstrate safety or effectiveness in humans, and much more research would be needed before any clinical application.
Abstract (excerpt)
Background: Rhabdomyolysis is a leading cause of acute kidney injury. The pathophysiological process involves oxidative stress and inflammation. Hydrogen-rich saline (HRS) is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. This study explored the protective effect of pretreatment with HRS on the development…